Re: [pvusers] Issue 34 re: EMI from SW4048

[Michael Welch <michael.welch@homepower.com>]

Teri Farrow wrote at 10:28 PM 01/24/2002 -0600:
  
>>Also, will the not-so-true sinewave pattern make a difference for other electronic appliances?
>I'm an old-fashioned cheapskate who uses a modified sinewave inverter (Trace DR2412) for all AC loads that we find occasion to use. 
>Over the years I have found that many more appliances will work with less than pure sinewave than is generally credited.

That is true, and I pretty much operate under the same scenario as you. But also remember that the better the wave form and the better the power factor, the less power your AC appliance will consume. That translates to slightly less PV & battery.

>The computer I'm using to write this e-mail with is one example.
>The things that did  not work were a visitor's electric guitar amp - which was probably for the best - and A.C. motion sensors - which were a ridiculous proposition in the first place due to staggering conversion losses.

I am using DC motion detectors, which operate a relay to switch on and off the AC outdoor lighting. But the DC detectors are pricey.

>Before the advent of phone lines here we used to use C.B. radios (D.C.) for neighborhood communications and had no interference troubles if the inverter happened to be running.
>  
>I'm sure that adherents to the new "all A.C." installation mania would run into more trouble than I have.
> 
>The old adage regarding appropriate inverter use went something like this..."Small load, long run time, D.C. - large load, short run time, A.C."

Right On!!!!!

>Nowadays we've got folks who believe that it is neither advisable or practical to "hang a small D.C. circuit on a powerful battery array."

It is also more expensive to wire a home for DC. For example, my home's DC circuits use #2 wire for the main runs, and have #8 wire for outlets and hard-wired DC appliances. #12 or #14 Romex is cheap, cheap, cheap.

Then you also have to deal with making sure that you have good receptacles for your DC plugs. Cigarette lighter types suck. I like to use AC type plugs for DC receptacles. But in order to make sure that I don't accidentally plug a DC appliance in an AC receptacle, for the DC I use the standard 20 amp receptacles & plugs. They have one vertical blade and one horizontal blade so they will not accept the other kind with 2 vertical blades.

> Hey kids! Let's buy more P.V. equipment so we can waste more power!!!! *
> 
>*Sorry...couldn't resist getting my swipe in on the recent on-list salesman flap!
> 
>Good luck with your project

  
Michael Welch
  
------------------------
"I'm hopeful. I know there is a lot of ambition in Washington, obviously. But I hope the ambitious realize that they are more likely to succeed with success as opposed to failure."
			Resident George "Dubya" Bush
        
Michael Welch, michael.welch@homepower.com www.homepower.com
     Managing Editor, Home Power magazine
     Office Coordinator, Redwood Alliance
     (Not HP mag numbers) 707-822-7884 fax: 707-822-3481


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